Wood pellet use for littler?

[lilangel]

Well i was wondering has anyone ever used that for litter?

When Buying my used cage from Ottawa ferret rescue they were telling me how they used wood pellets for their litter boxes and such.

looks like this:

Also reading here on some rabbit rescue they also use wood pellets for litter boxes. http://www.3bunnies.org/wood_pellets.htm

Wood pellets are pretty cheap to buy i think about $5 at any hard ware store.

 

[victoria]

If it's the same one that Ryelle mentions viewtopic.php?f=26&t=2468 then it's not. It's made from pine and still has the phenols that irritate respiratory systems (and the some it seems.)

 

[victoria]

Ok, so I just read your link briefly... maybe if they're hardwood they're ok? Even though the article says it's ok for softwood pellets too, it's my understanding that it's still up in the air whether or not heat removes phenols.

 

[lilangel]

yeah they say:

You should only use pellets that do not contain an accelerant. Also, according to the House Rabbit Society, unlike wood shavings, wood pellets are not toxic because the phenolic compounds are removed during their manufacture.

So they remove the toxic stuff that trees can carry?

I also saw on guinea pig website that some people also use it.

I am asking only for litter boxes though just to be clear not bedding

 

[ClownCarOnFire]

I us to use that kind, but now the kind I use is darker, and neither of my boys seem to have any problems with it.

 

[ryelle]

I've been using wood again for a while. i found some that didn't contain any scary stuffs and hasn't affected the rats breathing - its a different brand to the type that made Sid bald lol.
You might need to find out what brand it is, and see if you can find what types of wood in it

 

[LA]

Kiln drying supposedly kills phenols, however you need the kiln to be at a certain high temperature. It takes more heat to remove the phenols then it does to remove the moisture which is the point of kiln drying. It's not guarented that it will remove the phenols.

Softwood are not good for bedding and SOME hardwoods aren't good (oaks a good example of that).

 

[jorats]

I had seen a bag at Home Depot and when I saw "not for human consumption"... I knew I would never use that for my rats. They would definitely have a munch on it.

 

[ashana]

I would avoid these products completely. I have just PM'ed Jo some info in regards to some research i did on these wood litter products a while ago. What made me do this was a rescue that got bought to us was housed on these pellets, as well as some other things and had horrid health issues. She was 18 months old and was taken directly to the vet because when i saw her i was shocked she was still alive she presented with:
Severe Myco, labored breathing
Skeleton of a rat, bones all sticking out and no fat on her.
Skin scratches from clawing at herself. Checked for mites etc and didn't see anything.
Skin red and irritated as well as discoloured yellow in places.
Fur discoloured, not cleaning properly
She smelt like pine and goodness know what else.

Once taken to the vet she was put on antibiotics, treated for creepy crawlys (although the vet suspected something in her previous environment causing it) and i was told to watch her closely as he felt that i would not get her past this due to all the above factors.

She did make a recovery which took months and was rehomed with her guardian angel of a human mum. She passed away not long ago but not until she spend 6 wonderful months with her human mum who spend most of that time watching her closely for any flares.

Here are some pics of what she came in and her discoloured fur :
As well as the pelleted wood litter, there is torn cardboard and a recycle shopping bag GRR


Princess Rella as she became known..
she looks weighty here but i could feel every rib on her. I actually had to pick her up with a blanket as she was so skeletal i didn't want to hurt her.


In her new home during her free range with all her new friends which ended up being 13 more rescues


Jo has more info about this which i am sure she will share when she has time.

 

[lilangel]

I would think they would say that for anything such as YN not for human consumption :giggle: but being a pet brand.

I think the one you may have saw had accelerant in it.

they also have a brand made for pets its wood pellets.

 

[lilangel]

Yeah poor girl looks like she lived in a bad environment where they most likely never cleaned the cage and prob on a hamster food mix :sad3:

Im not saying to use this as a bedding nether only a litter where you would have a scoop or two in a litter pan something like the picture up there where it shows for pets.

Also i have not even bought any yet, just wondered about it.


I also think like what ryelle said you have to look at the type you buy, do not just pick up any one.(i will be emailing Ottawa ferret rescue to ask what brand and were they buy it)

 

[ryelle]

i thought i should add, wood litter is a last resort for me, if i can't get hold of any paper litter. There is some that is horribly dusty and stinks of "pine fragrance", i find the cheaper it is the more junk it has added in to it (my supermarket has its own brand of paper and wood cat litters and the chemicals in their paper litter makes your eyes water as soon as you open the bag). Its not so good either if your rats are living on it - like one level cages, and doesn't make good for elderly rats with HED as they struggle to pull their back legs over the large clumps of hard wood. I use it in litter trays, as i said above if i have no paper litter which is my preferable litter, somewhere that my rats aren't constantly on it.

Im trying to find the bag of cat litter to see what the make is i have downstairs but im having no luck :doh:

 

[LA]

To further on what I said. The ONLY true way to know that the phenols have been removed is to research what temperature the kiln must be at to remove phenols and contact the company that makes the wood product to see if they kiln dry at that temperature.

In my honest opinion I would not use any type bedding like that that is from any softwood. Yes that's correct ALL softwoods have phenols in it. That means anything with needles.

 

[Moon]

I had seen a bag at Home Depot and when I saw "not for human consumption"... I knew I would never use that for my rats. They would definitely have a munch on it.

But it SHOULD say "not for human consumption"... it's wood pellets, not food!

 

[Ktina]

I have been using wood stove pellets for a very long time with my rats. As long as it is made of hard wood it should be fine. Mine much on theirs all the time and I have never had a problem.

However, when it gets wet it breaks down. This means you have to change the litter box often since it's best they don't inhale the dust.

 

[ashana]

I am located in Western Australia so the products and procedures are a little different, i just wanted to let you girls know of my experience with the wood litters.

I normally use breeders choice/old news paper pelleted litters for the litter tray but when i can't get that i use chook feed. I know this sounds odd but the chook crumbles (normally) grower crumbles are very absorbent. I use to use them as cat litter years ago. You just have to make sure that the one you get has no coccidiosats in it.

 

[victoria]

To further on what I said. The ONLY true way to know that the phenols have been removed is to research what temperature the kiln must be at to remove phenols and contact the company that makes the wood product to see if they kiln dry at that temperature.

In my honest opinion I would not use any type bedding like that that is from any softwood. Yes that's correct ALL softwoods have phenols in it. That means anything with needles.

I agree, although I'm not convinced it's safe to use pelleted wood litter from an source. With the exemption of products made for human consumption, companies are not required to include much information on their labels. (Even when a product is meant for human consumption, manufacturers are not always required to disclose everything.) That means that "oak pellets" can be made primarily from oak but this week aspen is cheap so it's mixed in. Next week's batch may have pine or cedar mixed in because it's what's cheap or available. Before you use any pellets not intended to be used as animal litter or bedding, I would consult the manufacturer. Even if it is intended for animals, I would still contact the manufacturer to make sure it's not scented and doesn't contain other additives that may be harmful to your little guys.

Please note: I misread an earlier post and thought oak was safe for rats, which it's not. :doh: The point still is that you don't always know what's been added and the manufacturers don't have to tell you.

 

[victoria]

I am located in Western Australia so the products and procedures are a little different, i just wanted to let you girls know of my experience with the wood litters.

I normally use breeders choice/old news paper pelleted litters for the litter tray but when i can't get that i use chook feed. I know this sounds odd but the chook crumbles (normally) grower crumbles are very absorbent. I use to use them as cat litter years ago. You just have to make sure that the one you get has no coccidiosats in it.

What's a chook?

 

[ashana]

a chook is a chicken ;-)

 

[LA]

You also have to be careful with some hardwood. Aspen is ok, oak is not and others are also very toxic.